Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Russia's advance in Ukraine stalls; U.S. warns China on aiding Moscow As Russian troops appeared to stall in their advance on Ukrainian cities, the United States voiced concern on Thursday that China might assist Moscow with military equipment as the war entered its fourth week.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia's advance in Ukraine stalls; U.S. warns China on aiding Moscow

As Russian troops appeared to stall in their advance on Ukrainian cities, the United States voiced concern on Thursday that China might assist Moscow with military equipment as the war entered its fourth week. Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under renewed Russian shelling as rescuers in the besieged port of Mariupol dug survivors from the rubble of bombed buildings. Officials from the two countries met again for peace talks but said their positions remained far apart.

Bolsonaro granted indigenous rights medal, angering Brazil tribal leaders

Brazilian tribal leaders and advocates on Thursday criticized the granting of an indigenous rights award to President Jair Bolsonaro, calling it an "atrocity" that ignores his record on dismantling protections for native people and the environment. Justice Minister Anderson Torres on Wednesday gave the Medal of Indigenous Merit to his boss, Bolsonaro, in "recognition for relevant services" in the defense of indigenous communities.

Blinken says war crimes committed in Ukraine, U.S. experts working to document attacks

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said he agrees with President Joe Biden that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine and U.S. experts were gathering evidence to prove it. Biden told reporters a day earlier that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "war criminal" but the White House later said no formal determination had been made on potential violations of international law since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Seven U.S. members of Congress call on Biden to withdraw support for Haiti's Henry

A group of seven U.S. members of Congress on Wednesday called on President Joe Biden to withdraw support for Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry, saying he lacks legitimacy to organize the elections needed to resolve the country's political crisis. Representatives led by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Haitian American who won a Florida congressional seat in January, said in a letter that the United States should instead support efforts to create a transitional government.

West African bloc says will not abandon Burkina Faso after coup

A representative of West Africa's regional bloc said on Thursday it will keep working with Burkina Faso despite concerns about the military junta's plan to hold power for three years after a January coup. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Burkina Faso after the military ousted President Roch Kabore, but has not imposed sanctions as it did on neighbouring Mali and Guinea, where the military have also snatched power in the last 18 months.

Ukrainian refugees hope for peace, but more expected to flee

Thousands more refugees crossed into Eastern Europe on Thursday, many hoping that peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv may end the war soon, though more people were expected to flee in the days ahead. As the conflict in Ukraine entered its fourth week, about 3.2 million have fled abroad, United Nations data showed on Thursday, in what has become Europe's fastest growing refugee crisis since World War Two.

Putin's warning to 'traitors' sends chilling message

Graffiti warnings daubed on the doors of activists in Moscow. A food blogger threatened with up to 15 years in jail for "discrediting" Russia's army. A call to sack a senior former official for "treachery" for opposing the war in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin issued a venomous warning to "traitors" on Wednesday, saying the West would try to use them as a fifth column to destroy Russia, but that Russians would be quickly able to tell the "patriots from the scum".

Ukrainian city of Mariupol searches for survivors amid rubble of theatre

Rescue workers were searching for survivors in the rubble of a theatre in the besieged city of Mariupol on Thursday, after Ukraine said a powerful Russian air strike hit the building where hundreds of people had been sheltering from the war. The port city is encircled by Russian forces and has seen fierce bombardment. A statement from the city council said that about 30,000 residents had managed to escape so far, but more than 350,000 remained stuck there.

Russia and Canada in Twitter spat over 'kindergarten-level' UN letter post

Russia accused Canada on Thursday of childishly annotating a letter it sent at the United Nations seeking support for its draft resolution on providing aid access and civilian protection in Ukraine, which Ottawa reacted to with pointed comments. In a spat on Twitter, Canada's UN mission added multiple remarks to the March 16 missive from Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia.

Russia pulls U.N. vote on Ukraine over 'arm-twisting' claims

The U.N. Security Council will no longer vote on Friday on a Russian-drafted call for aid access and civilian protection in Ukraine as Russia's U.N. envoy accused Western countries of a campaign of "unprecedented pressure" against the measure. Diplomats said the Russian move would have failed with most of the 15-member council likely to abstain from a vote on the draft resolution because it did not address accountability or acknowledge Russia's invasion of its neighbor nor did it push for an end to the fighting or a withdrawal of Russian troops.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)